


Prison Visits

by agentwashingcat



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Post Volume 7, Qrow and James are ex boyfriends in this, idk just a scene it would be interesting to see
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:27:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26115682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentwashingcat/pseuds/agentwashingcat
Summary: After Qrows' arrest, James pays him a visit.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood, past Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood - Relationship, past ironqrow - Relationship
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	Prison Visits

Footsteps echoed down the prison hallway, footsteps Qrow recognized instantly, causing him to shift into a seated position in his cell. Waiting.

Sure enough, James appeared in front of his cell a moment later, staring in coldly. Qrow stared back just as coldly, noting the sling on James’ flesh arm. Fight with Watts gone bad? Obviously not too bad, if James was still standing.

“General Ironwood, to what do I owe the pleasure?” Qrow asked mockingly. If he had been standing, he would have added a little bow. As it was, he wasn’t about to drag himself upright just to harass James further. He could do that right from the floor of his cell thank you very much. “Didn’t think I’d see you down here with us delinquents.”

“Shut. Up.” The words were spit out through clenched teeth, and James looked like he might reach through the bars in an attempt to strangle Qrow with his one good hand. “Tell me what happened out there. Now.”

“Out where? Oh, you mean in the tundra, after you ordered me and my kids arrested for… daring to defy you I suppose?” Qrow was not in the mood to be lectured to. “Well after that Tyrian crashed the ship and your  _ attack dog _ -” Qrow refused to say his name right now. “-decided his orders were to bring me in rather than recapturing the deadly fugitive.”

_ “So you killed him?” _ James' voice was incredulous, like he couldn’t actually believe Qrow would do that. If Qrow wasn’t in such a pissy mood, he might actually be touched.

“I didn’t kill him!” Qrow snarled, red eyes flashing dangerously. “You did, with your stupid orders! He knocked my weapon away and Tyrian used it to run him through! Don’t pin the blame on me, this is all your fucking fault!”

The window in his cell cracked, but Qrow ignored it, even as James' eyes flitted to it. Qrow rose angrily, staring James down. “Martial law, James? Like you weren’t already enough of a dictator! And leaving Mantle to face Salem’s hoard?! You’re supposed to protect them!”

“We saved everyone we could, Qrow.” James’ face hardened. “You should know we can’t save everyone.”

“But we still have to try!” Qrow’s face hardened as well. “The James Ironwood I know would  _ never _ abandon his people.”

“Do you think I want to do this?!” James shouted, fist coming up to slam against the bars of Qrows’ cell, the sound of metal against metal making Qrows’ ears ring. “I am trying to save as many people as I can, Qrow. I thought if anyone understood it would be you.”

“Oh, I understand. You think your way is the only right one and if people don’t like it you throw them in jail.” Qrow frowned. “Where are the kids? Are they down here too?”

James’ face tightened, an angry scowl forming, and Qrows’ own face broke out into a wide grin. “They escaped you, didn’t they? I told you not to underestimate them.”

“Do you think this is funny?”

“I mean, it’s a little-” Qrow took a step too close, and James’ arm shot through, his hand fisting itself in Qrows’ shirt to drag him towards the bars, so their faces were only inches apart. If it weren't for the circumstances, Qrow would be a little turned on. As it was, he stared stoically back into James’ pissed off face.

“Salem is on our doorstep, one of my best men is dead, the rest of the ace operatives are incapacitated because of  _ your _ children, my second in command is in critical condition, the winter maiden powers are missing, and you think this is  _ funny?” _

Qrow stared, unsure what to say. This whole thing was, decidedly, not funny. Except for the part where James’ ace operatives got taken out by a bunch of kids. That was still a little funny. “So what do you expect me to do about it stuck in here?”

James stared him down. “I need you to find your kids, make them see reason, and bring them back.”

“No.”

“Qrow, this is bigger-”

“If you think I can make those kids do anything you’re out of your damn mind!” Qrow tried to pull away, but James still had a firm grasp on his shirt. “Ruby has her mother’s stubbornness, if she thinks something is the right thing to do, she’s not about to stray from that, no matter what. And the rest of them will follow her lead.” Fuck, he was willing to follow her lead. She’d proved herself smarter than him loads of times already. “What about Penny, she must be able to track them down?”

James was quiet for a moment. Seething, by the looks of it. “Penny went with them.”

Qrow snorted. “Ah, so you lost the protector of Mantle, too? Shit James, I’m starting to think you have the bad luck semblance.”

“Qrow. Please.” James’ grip loosened, and he seemed to age years in a moment. “I need someone on my side. There’s no one left I can trust.”

“Weren’t you just accusing me of killing one of your men?” Despite the harsh words, Qrows’ face softened slightly. He knew James was tired. At the end of his rope. Years ago he might have reached out, tried to soothe him.

But this wasn’t years ago. This was now, and there was far too much hurt between them for him to do that.

“Sorry, James. I can’t throw aside my ideals, just like you can’t throw aside yours.” Or at least, that’s what he used to think of James. Before this.

James let go of Qrows’ shirt, shifting back into General mode. He straightened up, staring down at Qrow in a way that felt like a knife twisting in Qrows’ gut. “Then you’re no better than those kids of yours. You can stay here until I decide what to do with you.”

“What, I don’t even get a trial?” Qrow asked sarcastically. 

James ignored him, walking away. Qrow waited until the footsteps had faded away, and then waited a few more minutes after that, just to be safe. He checked out the bars of his cell, transforming into a bird to test his theory. Yep. Big enough gap for him to get through. In his infinite wisdom, James seemed to have completely forgotten that Qrow could transform into a bird. 

Time to find his weapon and get the hell out of dodge. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciated!


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